Iowa Conference hopes for multiple NCAA softball bids

Fort Dodge hosts the Iowa Conference softball tournament and the league is, again, hoping for multiple berths into the division three regionals. Luther and Coe are the top two seeds. Wartburg is 23-6 overall and seeded third and coach Kara Kehe says there is one way they can assure themselves of a regional bid.

The winner of the tournament gets the automatic bid into post-season play, and that’s their goal. Kehe says there is no way of knowing ahead of time how many teams will advance. She says it’s dependent on what happens nationwide. Kehe says she’d like to think the conference is strong enough to get more than one in, but she says that’s not guaranteed.

Wartburg opens against sixth seeded Loras and Kehe says staying out of the losers bracket is critical. Kehe says if you lose early, you have to battle back and fight in every game. She says they’re focusing on game 1. The tournament runs through Saturday.